I've been following this whole banner story all week, and I have to say that I'm just having a really hard time imagining the thought process that would lead a bunch of grown men (and women?) to be so outraged about a college football coach that they spend their own time and money organizing an anti-coach banner to be flown over a football game. I just can't do it.
From where I sit (which, admittedly, is pretty far from Fayetteville), it just seems like an incredibly silly thing to do. I mean, what's the point? Is this really going to be the final straw that convinces the Powers That Be to depose the hated Houston Nutt? Doubtful. Is it going to make Arkansas look ridiculous (again) in the eyes of the rest of the country? Absolutely. Is it going to make the school look like an appealing opportunity to some hot coaching candidate who's in the running for the job when it inevitably becomes open at the season? Almost certainly not. Is it going to make some stud recruit spurn all other offers to sign that letter of intent from the Hogs? Again, not likely. Is it going to make the people behind it feel better about things? Maybe for a minute, but then they'll surely soon move on to other Razorback-related outrages.
Keep in mind that I say this as a pretty huge Arkansas fan. I've had days made by wins and weekends ruined by losses ever since I was a little kid in the late 70s. I mean, I love the team enough to spend what little free time I have writing about the Hogs on this blog. I'm certainly frustrated by the way the season has gone and feel like a change of leadership is the best thing for all involved.
But a banner? Really?? It just doesn't help anyone. And rather than organizing flyovers, the folks behind it might be best off if they took a break for just one weekend and made other plans for this afternoon. Go take a stroll in the nice fall weather or something, I don't know. There's a whole wide world out there beyond the Razorbacks, and my advice is that it's best to keep at least one foot firmly planted in it.
Update: The Hog Blogger reports that technical difficulties have grounded the banner for today. So far, no one has been able to verify reports of Houston Nutt lurking around a grassy knoll near the airfield.